


Wrong Number?

by fuzzycatsandgoofyhats



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Car Accidents, Character Death, M/M, Text messaging, Tragedy, based off of a tumblr prompt, drunk driving mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-24
Updated: 2015-06-24
Packaged: 2018-04-05 22:55:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4198158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuzzycatsandgoofyhats/pseuds/fuzzycatsandgoofyhats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes getting a text from a wrong number is an accident. Sometimes you find a kindred spirit in the wake of a tragedy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wrong Number?

**Author's Note:**

> So I've had this fic in the works for months. And because writer's block is an asshole, I've just now finished it. And for the first time in a long time I'm happy, truly happy, with how a fic turned out. Despite the sad nature of said fic. Which, considering angst/tragedy isn't my strong suit, is saying something.

Armin looked at the framed photograph on his nightstand. The one of him and Eren, his boyfriend, from when they had gone to the beach last summer. They were so happy together, standing in front of the beautiful blue ocean, and their faces reflected that happiness.

 

It had been five months since that picture was taken, since that beach trip, Armin mused, picking the frame up with tears in his eyes. And today marked three months since the accident that took Eren away from him.

 

Usually the two would ride to school together. And usually Armin never missed school for anything. But he was running a fever that day and his parents and Eren all insisted he stay home. When Eren was driving back to Armin's house to bring him his homework, he was involved in a three-car accident. The drunk driver responsible for the crash walked away unscathed (but was later arrested), and Eren and the driver of the third car were both killed instantly.

 

Holding the gilded frame in his trembling hands, Armin softly kissed the picture of his boyfriend and placed it back in its spot on his nightstand, next to the newspaper clipping of Eren's obituary and the small wooden box given to him by Eren's parents, which contained an assortment of seashells and polished stones they had found at the beach. He had always felt close with Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger, even before he and Eren began dating--they'd been best friends since childhood, after all.

 

Not a day passed where Armin didn't desperately miss Eren, but there were some days that had been harder than others. Today was one of the particularly hard ones. On these days one way he would cope would be to call Eren's cell phone, just to listen to his voicemail recording. Something about hearing his voice helped, even though he knew deep down that this wouldn't last forever and the now-inactive number would eventually be assigned to someone else by the phone company. The blond teen picked up his phone, pulled up the contact labeled "Eren--RIP" and tapped the call button. To his surprise, there was a ring on the other line, and then a voice answered.

 

"Hello?"

 

"Um..." Armin gasped, "I, uh...sorry, wrong number..." He hung up, suddenly feeling empty and slightly nauseous. It had happened. He tried not to think about how he'd probably made a fool of himself, the way his voice cracked like that.

 

And then he received a text from the number:

 

_"I hope I'm not prying, but are you ok? You sounded...upset"_

 

Armin hesitated, but decided it wouldn't hurt to reply.

 

_"Yeah. Sorry to bother you, wrong #"_

_"It's cool. I just got this phone yesterday so it's been happening all day. Guess the person who had this # before me is pretty popular then..."_

_"Yeah he_ _was. Everyone loved him"_

 

Armin didn't know why he found himself confiding in this person. Somehow it was oddly therapeutic.

 

_"Was?"_

_"...Yeah. He died three months ago. This...may sound stupid, but sometimes I would send 'I miss you' texts or call to hear his voicemail message. It was just a way of coping I guess"_

 

God, this person probably thought he was creepy and weird. Why was he even opening up to a total stranger like this?

 

_"That's not stupid at all. That's actually really sweet. I'm sorry for your loss, you must have been close"_

_"He was my boyfriend. His name was Eren"_

_"His last name wouldn't be Jaeger by any chance would it?"_

_"...how'd you know?"_

_"I remember seeing the name in the paper a few months ago. My boyfriend Marco was actually killed in that same accident"_

_"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that..."_

_"Thanks"_

 

Armin wiped a tear from his eye and smiled. He couldn't explain why, but he found a strange sense of comfort in finding a kindred spirit in this tragic situation.

 

_"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable at all"_

_"Oh no, it's fine, don't apologize"_

_"You seem like a really kind person. Something about you reminds me of Marco..."_

_"I guess that's why I felt so comfortable talking with you. If I'm creeping you out I'll stop"_

_"It's ok. It's actually nice having someone who understands what I've gone through. It's a shame we had to meet like this but knowing I'm not grieving alone, it's comforting in a way, I guess?"_

_"Yeah..."_

_"My name's Jean, btw"_

_"Nice to meet you. Mine's Armin"_

_"Hey I gotta get going but...if you ever wanna talk, feel free to hit me up, k?"_

_"Thanks, I will"_

_"Bye Armin. Thanks for listening"_

 

Once more Armin felt ooverwhelmed with emotion. He never thought he'd forge a friendship with a wrong number, but...somehow, in a weird way, the conversation gave him a warm feeling, and suddenly be realised that maybe this had happened for a reason.

 

And just like that, Armin felt Eren's presence there in his bedroom. He was looking out for Armin, just as he always had.

 

"Thank you Eren," Armin whispered with a tearful smile. "I needed this today. Thank you."

 

**Author's Note:**

> I typed this out and posted it via my phone. Never doing that again. It took two hours. So also, sorry for any spelling mistakes. I'll fix them later.


End file.
